The Card Master
by InhumanCT
Summary: On Hiatus. Changed by the death of the one he considered his soul sister, Natsu runs away with Happy and is thought to be dead. Years later, he comes back, after escorting Lucy to Fairy Tail. But what are his real intentions and allegiance?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer. I do not own Fairy Tail

For more information about update dates, view my profile page.

* * *

><p>The pink haired boy was punching a big oak tree with as much force he could muster. He had already felled two trees whose trunks lay besides him but that had been when his magic was still with him. He had used up all of it but he still wanted to vent out his anger. His knuckle-bones were bare: the skin had been peeled off by the rough trunk of the oak tree. The pain would have been unbearable for most but he was not fazed by it. He continued his assault.<p>

At that point, what he wanted the most was to die. When his father had left, he had thought he would never be happy again. But then, he joined Fairy Tail. In that guild he had found happiness. Fighting with gray and Erza, going on quests, playing with Gildarts, studying magic with Macao were what he loved doing. But there was one person that made him stay there, one person for whom he wanted to be the best, one person for whom he existed and now,

she was dead.

His fights were meaningless now: to whom would he prove himself to?

When he was finally finished, the tree, with a loud crash, fell from its heights. For though his magic was used up, he still had an impossible stamina. After all, he could take Erza's beatings.

He put his bloodied hands in his pockets and looked behind him. There lay their house. The house that _she _had built_. _Of course, he had his own home where he lived with his familiar but this one was the one they had lived. He averted his gaze for he could not bear to look at it, it reminded him so much of _her_.

He remembered how she had comforted him after they had told him that he was lying about HIM. He remembered their role-playing of father and mother in this house. She had asked him if she could be his wife when they would grow up. At that time, he had wanted to say yes but did not have the courage. He had promised himself that he would. He remembered when she left. He should have gone with her!

The sun would soon set behind the horizon, now and he had to go home. But not to stay but only to take his things. For even there, he was reminded too much of her. He walked and walked towards his home. Happy would come there just after nightfall and he had to write the letter before.

He looked at his home. He could not live here anymore. Not with all those memories. But then he could not go to the guild either. He had left his home in the forest after HE had gone and now he would leave his guild after she had died. Why was it that everyone he lived for went away?

He removed his right hand from his pocket and opened the door with it. The pain and the blood were still here but he did not feel it. He washed his hands in the kitchen. The pain increased from his use of soap while the bleeding stopped. He dried his hands and went to sit at his table. The same table she had bought for him for his last birthday. He took one of his pens, and wrote on a sheet of paper that lay on the table.

_Gramps,_

_I cannot stay at the guild anymore. I am going away to find Igneel. I don't know how long it will take me. Please do not try to follow me._

_Love,_

_Natsu_

After he packed some essentials, He went to affix the 'letter' to his door. As soon as he had finished, he heard the window in his room open. Happy had come home. As much as he wanted to remain to the guild with his friends, he could not. The only reason for which he did not want to leave Happy was because _she_ had entrusted Happy to him. He entered his room

"Happy we are going away" he said in a barely audible voice.

-00oOo00-

Some hours earlier

Natsu jumped from his seat as soon as he saw his arch-rival enter the common room of the Fairy Tail guild.

"Hey underpants-boy" he called out

"Do not call me that, hot head!" replied the pissed off ice mage, rushing at his enemy to try to kill him.

"STOP IT" bellowed a certain ex-quip mage

"We were not fighting Erza. Only rushing to hug" said Gray, awkwardly enacting the supposed hug

"Aye! We are friends~" added the fire dragon slayer with a fake smile

"They are back!"

Everyone in the guild turned to the main entrance. It was Macao. Natsu realized that he was talking about the Take-Over siblings. He could ask Lisanna out now! He had made their old home so much better now. He would bring her there!

As soon as he heard the door open, he rushed, hoping against hope to be able to ask the girl of his dreams without stuttering and making a fool out of himself. However, when he reached the door, he saw something was amiss. Elfman was there and a bandaged Mirajane was held in his arms. But Lisanna was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Elfman! Where is Lisanna?" prompted the boy to the surprisingly serious looking man

Elfman ignored him and went to lay his sister on one of the tables. Then he faced the overexcited boy.

"I-I'm sorry Natsu, I'm sorry" he said

"Why? Where is Lisanna?"

"She's she is" the man stuttered

Not getting the clue, Natsu continued "I want to show her something, where is she?"

"She is...She is go..go..gone Natsu" he whispered, starting to sob

The boy's facial expression changed from expression to shocked. He sat down on one of the chairs as his faced drained of color.

"You are lying. Aren't you?" he croaked out

"No, its for real, Lisanna is dead" said the now sobbing take-over mage

Natsu's expression changed from that of shock to that of anger. He stood up, clenching his fists which now started to flame.

"No. No , it cant be. Lisanna cant be dead" he whispered

"Its true Natsu"

"NO! NO! NO! NOOOO!" Screamed the boy whilst a blood red magic seal formed below him

Soon, he was engulfed in flames.

"AAAAAARGH!" he roared, letting his magic loose

The flames that had formed around his body exploded outwards, destroying about a quarter of the tables and chairs while sending Elfman crashing into one of the walls.

Happy flew to his master but the heat knocked him out.

"Stop doing that Idiot! You'll destroy the guild" yelled Gray

"ICE MAKE CANNON." he roared, creating an ice cannon.

He fired it, sending a huge ice ball at his enemy.

His efforts were in vain. The ice melted and then evaporated before reaching the fiery mage who was still roaring out in anger.

Makarov had been seeing the exchange silently along with Erza who had just gone for her last monthly check-up with Porlyusica.

"So, Gildarts was right after all" said Makarov

"What do you mean Master?"

"The magic of fire is queer Erza. It is based on emotions and not will, unlike your powers"

"Master, what is he doing?" exclaimed Erza, pointing at the boy who was overheating

"Releasing his powers. I fear for him, he may well lose them. Don't try to attack him if you see him in this state, he'll blow you away" warned the master

"He'll destroy the guild! I'll stop him master!" said the girl getting up and rushing at the fire mage

"Fool! He is light-years stronger than you at this point."

The girl reached to about 5 meters from the boy before the heat became unbearable

"Natsu! STOP IT!" she yelled, to no avail.

The heat simply increased

**I have no choice**

"RE-QUIP! Flame Empress Armor!" she called out

Moments later, she felt the heat subside as her armor shielded her. She rushed at the boy, brandishing her sword. Then she saw his face. It was not that of Natsu. It really seemed to resemble a dragon, more specifically a extremely pissed off dragon. Defying her instincts, she rushed towards him. **He's still a weakling**.

Her opinion immediately changed when she was sent sprawling into a wall by a single punch.

The boy then started punching the ground, destroying it. Soon, his fire started to extinguish. He looked, at the guild with teary eyes. Then he looked at Erza, Gray and Elfman and sobbing, he rushed out of the guild, heading towards his home.

"Don't go after him now. Send Happy when he wakes up" said the master at the horrified/awed guild members.

"Elfman, report to me about the job tomorrow. Go home with Mirajane now" continued the old man, before returning to his office.

Inwardly, the guild master blamed himself. He shouldn't have sent Lisanna, she was still too Young to act rationally. That was probably the reason she died. And then Natsu. He was one of the most powerful in terms of his potential. Makarov could only hope the boy would recover from the shock. Slayer magic had always been a strange magic and coupled with the emotions of fire magic, he did not know what could happen. Even the council did not know how it really worked.

-00oOo00-

They were still walking (or sitting, in Happy's case). It had been a week since they had left their home. Happy knew that what his master was doing was not good but he also knew that he needed to be with him. Natsu had not stopped even once to eat or to drink. He was like a machine, walking and walking. Happy had tried to talk to him many times but he only received a nod or a shrug.

Suddenly, something jumped from a bush besides Natsu. The boy quickly entered a fighting stance, but he was too slow. The beast, a forest Vulcan quickly grabbed him by his shoulder as sent him hurtling backwards. Happy jumped from his masters shoulder and used his aero magic to sprout wings. However, he was also sent crashing into a tree by a punch of the Vulcan.

Natsu looked at his fallen familiar. He could not believe that he had been so slow. He had let Happy be hurt.

"I'll make you pay! Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!" he yelled, getting up and rushing at his opponent. However, no flames formed around his fist and without the significant boost and due to his weakness after having starved for such a long time, his hand was easily caught by the beast who then trashed him. When he fell unconscious, the only thing he was thinking was Happy's safety.

**I should have never brought him with me. **

After having beaten the boy, the Vulcan looked at him closely before huffing and going back into the bushes. He could not take-over the boy's body for it had no magic.

-00oOo00-

Some days later, Erza Scarlet who had been serching for Natsu found his back pack covered in dried blood. Later that day, Fairy Tail mourned the loss of yet another member.

* * *

><p>Edit: The knightwalker part was a plot line that I had abandoned. Think I made an error and uploaded an earlier version.<p> 


	2. The Arrival of the Card Master

_I do **not** own Fairy Tail._

Enjoy the second Chapter of Fairy Tail,

_The Arrival of the Card Master_

* * *

><p><em>2 years later, Hargeon Town<em>

Lucy Heartfilia was in love.

It had all started when she had left her home as she was sick of her father's attitude. She had managed to get to Hargeon where she had spent spent one night in a hotel. Today, she had planned to take the train to the town of Magnolia where her objective, The Fairy Tail Guild lay. She had just bought a new celestial spirit key with a discount of 1000 jewel and was about to head towards one of the famous restaurants when she saw _him._

All of the other girls were buzzing around him. **He's probably a very important mage here**. She rushed to meet her 'love'. She was mere meters from him when someone bumped into her, sending her falling to the ground. She looked up angrily, reading to shout at the miserable low life when she realized that she did not feel any attraction to the man she had originally been heading towards. **Charm Magic!**

The person whom she had bumped into stretched out is hand to help her stand up. She looked at her 'saviour'. The person was covered in a dark cloak and robes along with black gloves, causing his face to be sort of invisible.

"Thank you." She said to the man.

"You do not need to, I was not looking where I was walking" replied the shadowy person in a boy's voice.

Lucy quickly turned to what had been the apple of her eyes mere seconds ago.

"You! You are using charm magic!" she yelled at the man

"What?" replied the man, seemingly surprised at the revelation

"You know very well, you idiot!" she yelled

The man quickly used his magic to create a flying purple fire disk on which he stepped before it flew away. Soon, he disappeared from Lucy's field of vision. Lucy huffed and turned away but something impacted on her back and she fell to the road's surface.

She looked up and saw a pack of seething fan-girls.

"You made him go away! We'll beat you up, bitch" said the nearest one, before trying to kick Lucy.

However, a gloved fist flashed before the girl, hitting her in the gut, knocking her out. Lucy looked at the one who had just saved her: It was the cloaked boy again.

"Take her and go away from here! Else, _I_ will beat _you_ up" growled the boy menacingly, causing all of the fan girls to shriek in fright.

They quickly grabbed the fallen girl and rushed away.

The boy turned and along with another cloaked person who was standing a few meters from the scene, started to move away.

"Hey! Wait!" she said, grabbing the cloak of the person who had saved her and pulling.

The combined forces of the person's momentum and her pulling caused the cloak to be ripped off the stranger, revealing pink spiked hair.

The person turned to look at her, with a menacing glare. He seemed to be about her age though his facial expression gave the impression of a person having lived much more than that.

"What is it?' he asked, anger evident in his eyes

"You just saved me from this man's charm magic. Allow me to thank you" she said, somewhat scared of the boy's expressions

"You just thanked me" replied the boy

"Yes but err, I mean let me treat you to lunch!" she replied

"I do not think we have ti-" started the boy

"Hey! Natsu, we haven't eaten at a restaurant in ages" interrupted the other figure

"You knot tha-" the boy started again, annoyed by his partner's interruption

"Please! I haven't eaten fish for sooooooo long!" replied the other figure

"Okay" sighed the boy before turning to Lucy "we accept your invitation Miss"

"Fantastic!" replied Lucy before walking towards the nearest restaurant, the two strangers in tow.

-00oOo00-

Lucy looked at the boys before her. The one who had saved her, Natsu, had pink hair, light tan skin with black eyes and wore a white scaled scarf around his neck. The other, called Happy had blue hair with strange pale blue skin and blue eyes. When Lucy had inquired about his strange skin color, Natsu had answered that Happy had always been 'Blue'. The table manners of the two boys were polar opposites, with Natsu eating with extreme slowness, carefully cutting his food while Happy gulped down sushi by the dozen. After Natsu and Lucy finished their lunch, Natsu thanked her before dragging a sleeping Happy out of the restaurant.

Lucy then paid the enormous sum of 1000 jewel for the food before heading to Hargeon Park to continue reading about Fairy Tail. She would take the train to magnolia in the evening so she had still plenty of time left. She sat down and started perusing the edition of wizard weekly, looking in awe at the photo spreads of Mirajane, the poster girl of Fairy Tail. She was suddenly startled when she felt someone place a hand on her elbow. She looked up and saw the 'charm magic' user.

"What are you filth doing here? That charm magic won't work on me anymore as I already am conscious of it." She growled at the man

"Oh, I just heard that you wanted to join the Fairytail Guild" replied the man

"And what does it have to do with you?" asked lucy, still suspicious

"I can get you admission there if you shut up about my use of charm magic and accompany me to a ball in my ship."

"How can you?"

"Didn't you know? I am the Salamander, a member of Fairy Tail!" he announced dramatically

This information quickly changed Lucy's opinion of him and she accepted his conditions. She would finally get a place in the guild of her dreams. Lucy then walked away to her hotel room to dress up for the ball.

-00oOo00-

"So that man is saying that he is from Fairy Tail. That's a bit queer." Said Natsu as he looked at a group of girls from his stationary position at the entrance of a dark alley

"nnnnghAaargh Why ?" asked Happy who was currently vomiting nearly the food he had eaten

"I told you that you cannot eat as much as a regular human. It's because he was recently kicked out of the Titan Nose guild for using magic in aiding robbery."

"The sushis were soooo good, I could not resist. He's that Bora guy?"

"Yes, and I doubt that Master Makarov has stooped so low…And are you finished yet? We have a job tonight and you will NOT be sleeping through it!"

"No, aaargh, what job?"

"We will crash Mister Bora's Party"

-00oOo00-

"Hey come outside on the deck." Said Bora, opening the wooden door for Lucy

Lucy walked through the door onto the open air deck and inhaled a deep breath of the saline air.

"It's perfect here" she said, turning to the 'Salamander'

However, instead of the party's host, she was faced by two burly men who quickly grabbed her.

"Hey! What are you doing?" she yelled at them but she did not receive any answer

She tried to move out of their grasps to get to her keys but they were holding her too tightly and she only managed to make her position more uncomfortable. Soon, Bora appeared by the doorway, a white cloth in his hand.

"Salamander! Tell them to release me!" she said

"All in good time, my dear. They are only stopping you from escaping or using your magic" he replied before swiftly removing her key ring hanging from her dress

"These are no use to me! Celestial spirits only work for those with whom they have a contract. I'll guess I'll throw them then" he continued before sending the keys overboard.

"No! You! Why?" screamed Lucy as she saw her keys plunge into the sea

"Have you not realized, I lure girls to my 'Parties' so that I can sell them into slavery. You will fetch me quite a price. But before I need to use this on you" he said, pointing at the cloth in his hand

"What is that?" she asked wearingly

"Chloroform. It happens that my sleep magic does not work on mages. Be ready for a deep sleep, Lucy" he answered before moving towards her brandishing the chloroform soaked cloth.

However, with a loud crash, two of the Salamander's henchmen flew through the wall and fell on him. All eyes turned to the gaping hole in the wall. There were two dark figures standing behind the hole. Lucy recognized them as Natsu and Happy.

"When I learnt that you were hosting a 'Party' I sure as hell did not think that there would be so many girls sleeping in the boat. Enslaving girls is illegal you know." said Natsu

"What you! Get them" yelled the 'Salamander' from below he two henchmen that had been knocked out.

The two men holding Lucy let her go before rushing at the boys while at the same time, three others emerged from the open trapdoor which was at the right of Lucy.

"Happy take Lucy away, I'll take them on" said Natsu before catching the hand of one of his assailants and spinning him, sending him hurtling into the closest man.

"Aye Sir!" replied Happy rolling past the henchmen and grabbing Lucy before jumping into the sea.

Lucy braced herself for the impact upon the seawater but she only felt the hands holding her becoming smaller. She looked up behind her shoulder and instead of Happy, she saw a blue, winged cat.

"You are a _flying_ cat?" she freaked out

"Aye!" replied the cat

"Where is Happy?" she asked, not realizing that cats were not supposed to talk

"I am Happy! I just used Transformation magic to turn into a human for a while!" replied the cat, enthusiastically.

This revelation was too much for Lucy who fell unconscious, still in Happy's grasps. However, even this respite did not continue as seconds later she was suddenly awoken by heat between her ankles.

"What I happening?" she cried out

"It's the Bora guy, he is using fire magic to try and shoot us down."

Lucy looked below and surely enough, she saw that her expensive robe had been burnt to a makeshift skirt. But that was not all what she saw. Below, I the water, she noticed a familiar key ring.

"Happy! Bring me down! My keys are just there!" she yelled at the cat

"Aye!" replied the cat, before releasing his hold on Lucy

The girl dived in the water and managed to get her key ring. As she surfaced, she took one of the keys out of it.

"I have my keys now! I can help Natsu" she said before holding out the key before her

In a thrice, she opened the gate of the celestial spirit 'Aquarius'. Happy looked in wonder at the mermaid that had appeared. He had already encountered celestial wizards and their spirits but none seemed as powerful as this one.

"Never ever throw my gate key or else!" growled the mermaid

"I promise not to, just please wash this boat ashore" replied Lucy fearfully at her spirits temper

"That might not be a go-" said Happy before an impromptu whirlpool formed and threw them and the boat to the shore

Natsu on the other side was dispatching the henchmen of the 'Salamander'. Kick, Punch, Spinning Kick, Double Punch, Roundhouse Kick. Each one of his attacks landed on his opponents' weak spots. As he blocked the kick of the last henchmen, he realized that had he been in this situation 2 years earlier, he would not have been able to even stay on the ship, which was a vehicle. He still was a bit sad about what he had lost but now, none could ever hope to stop him.

Suddenly, as he KOed the last henchman, it happened. The boat suddenly rocked and spun, causing the partially destroyed wall to ram onto him as he himself was not moving with the boat. This toppled him, causing him to fall on his knees to the ground. His shoes which had been red since he had entered the boat turned black and torn shreds of red cards appeared at their base.

His transportation sickness quickly took hold of him, disabling him. Moments later, they hit the shore with a huge shock. The salamander used Natsu's disabled status as an opening to shoot a stream of flames towards him. Natsu could not recover quickly enough and was hit by a stream of fire on his right shoulder.

He winced in pain. He looked at his opponent who started another attack. This time he rolled out of the way and stood up. The pain in his shoulder was excoriating but he could withstand much more.

"I see that I have underestimated you" he said to the man befoe him

"I am the Salamander! A member of Fairy Tail, you cannot hope to win!" declared his opponent

"Don't take the name of the dead!" yelled Natsu with fury , "You are Bora, an ex-member of the Titan Nose Guild who was thrown out because you used magic in thievery" **Reading the daily newspaper sure pays**

"How! You bastard! I'll take care of you!" yelled Dora, sending another stream of fire at his opponent

"You think you are the only one with magic?" asked Natsu before discarding his partially burnt cloak, revealing his black T-shirt and the card holder strapped to his belt.

"Hell Prominence" yelled Bora

Natsu flick his hand, causing three cards to fly out of his card holder.

"Card Comabt Magic: Level 2, Card Block" he said

One of the cards glowed blue and expanded to four times its size and flew before him, blocking the incoming stream of fire

"Card Combat Magic: Level 1, Card Shot" continued Natsu

One of the remaining cards glowed gold and shot towards Bora's hand, destroying his man's eyes opened wide at the fact that he was now defenseless. He turned and tried to run away.

"Wait! I have not finished with you, scum. I will destroy everyone who defiles the name of Fairy Tail! Card Combat Magic: Level 3: Trinity attack!" he said

A seal formed before the last card and as it passed through it, it was transformed into three golden cards which flew towards Bora. The three cards hit him in his head, stomach and feet at the same time, knocking him out. Natsu looked at his handiwork before waving his hand, causing the cards to revert back to their original form and fly back towards him. He grabbed them and put them back in his card holder before taking out another one.

"Card Support Magic: Level 3, Power of Healing" he said.

The card glowed green before levitating itself and touching his right shoulder, removing all traces of the wound in seconds.

Natsu drew another card after returning the previous one to his pocket.

"Card Support Magic: Level 2, Gift of Flight"

As light red seal formed below the card and it split into two red cards which hovered inches above the ground before him. Natsu jumped onto the cards which fused with his shoes, turning them red. He then flew to an exhausted and wet Lucy who lay on the shore along with Happy, looking at the boat.

"Come" he said to the girl as he alighted besides her.

"What?" sighed/asked Lucy.

"You wanted to join Fairy Tail, didn't you?"

"What?"

"I can get you there" replied Natsu.

"Natsu, you mean we are returning?" asked Happy as he jumped onto Natsu's shoulder.

"Yes. So, Lucy, you are coming or not?"

"Who the hell are you?"

After all, it was not everyday that she saw so much surprising things and a powerful mage and his flying and talking cat sidekick was just too much.

"I am the _Card Master_"


End file.
